European soccer is having another reckoning over racism – is it time to accept the problem goes beyond bad fans?

• After suffering months of racial abuse on the field and off, Brazilian soccer star Vinícius Júnior had enough.
• Racism is normal in La Liga,” he tweeted in reference to the Spanish top division.

Deep roots of soccer racism

• Indeed, as soccer writer Franklin Foer has pointed out, in the early days of Brazilian soccer Black people were not allowed to play for professional clubs or the national team.
• While there has been great change since such times, the roots of subtle and overt racism facing Black soccer players run deep – be it in their home countries or playing for prestigious European clubs.

Soccer’s Black Lives Matter moment

• For example, in England, the Football Association has long partnered with anti-racist group Kick It Out to create programs and punishments for racist fan behavior.
• Meanwhile, the Royal Spanish Football Association has codes for applying financial penalties against clubs with racist fans.
• Indeed, after restarting a pandemic-struck season in June 2020, the English Premier League promoted an active Black Lives Matter campaign.
• This included “Black Lives Matter” patches on uniforms – although patches were later amended to read “No Room for Racism” – and allowing the taking of the knee before games.
• Soccer leagues in southern Europe tended to leave it to clubs and individuals to respond to the Black Lives Matter movement, rather than having any blanket policies akin to that of the English Football Association.

Counter-cosmopolitanism

• Continued racism in European soccer comes despite a rise in soccer’s “cosmopolitanism” culture.
• But modern-day fans have long become accustomed to supporting a racially diverse team.
• If the racial makeup of teams is not reflective of the fan base, it also isn’t reflected in management, or among the people who govern the sport.

Failing the Sterling standard

• Moreover, it does little to address more institutionalized racism in the game.
• And to date, anti-racism programs and fines have failed to stamp out racism in soccer.